External References

About the Pastor

Daniel Kutrick has a passion for preaching, teaching and evangelism as a method for leading and growing disciples for Christ. He is currently serving in leadership positions within the Dundalk-Graceland Cooperative Parish. Kutrick is active in the Communion Visitation Ministry of the Parish, sits on the Parish Council, is a Certified Lay Speaker for five years, and teaches the Adult Sunday School classes. He is a Vietnam era Air Force veteran and certified medical technologist; he graduated from Towson University in 1980 with a double major in Mass Communications and English with a writing concentration. Currently, he is serving as the alternate member to annual conference from Piney Grove UMC and he will be attending License to Preach school in May. A civilian employed by the Department of the Army, Kutrick works as the assistant Public Affairs Officer for Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center at Fort George G. Meade. He has been married to Virginia, known as Jenny, for 27 years; he has two grown children, Daniel and Kimberley, two grown step-children, George and Kimberly, three granddaughters, Hannah, Olivia & Alyssa, and a dog, a puggle, named Angel.

The Dundalk/Graceland Cooperative Parish is a ministry arrangement in Southeast Baltimore County and Baltimore city. Dundalk UMC is located in the town of Dundalk, and in 2011, celebrates its 80th year in ministry. While maintaining its character as one of the leading congregations in the Dundalk area, the church has begun to work over the last several years on developing approaches to reaching a community that is experiencing significant transition. The church paid 100 percent of its apportionments in 2010, and is committed to engaging in an active, ongoing outreach/feeding ministry, men’s fellowship, United Methodist Women’s ministry, and is beginning to expand its Christian education program and ministry with youth. Graceland UMC is located in southeast Baltimore City, and is an anchor in its community. It is well-known for its community ministry and programs addressing the needs of children and youth. The Dundalk/Graceland Cooperative Parish has been developed as a means of strategically galvanizing resources for more effective ministry in the communities of southeast Baltimore County.

First of all, I did not seek out to become a minister of God’s Word. I understand that Christ is the creator and enabler of ministry. One does not—indeed one cannot– choose Christian ministry as one of many career options. One does not search the classifieds and say, “Let’s see … medical technologist…plumber … electrician … politician … teacher … Oh, yes, I like this: servant of Christ.” No, Christian ministry is not a job, but a calling from the God the Creator, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ. The call must proceed from God.
Paul’s message to Timothy (1 TIM 1:12-15) reminds me of ME:

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

I quote this passage because I feel it is particularly important in my call to ministry. I, like Paul, see that Jesus Christ exhibits mercy upon those whom He calls.
Paul says in 1:12b “He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” This does not mean He saw Paul as faithful to God and so He would use him in ministry. Just the opposite, Paul is confessing to us that he was “formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy.”
A blasphemer, a persecutor and an insolent man is not one in whom God sees faithfulness. I praise and honor the Lord my God for choosing me not because of who I am but because of who He wants me to be. And of my own free will I intend to answer His call.

The most formative aspect of my call to ministry would at first seem like there should be a condemnation from God, but in fact retrospectively, was one of the most merciful revelations of God to me.

I looked in various directions but it was not until what I see as the pivotal formative event in my life occurred that I actually began along the long path to knowing God. This was my “Damascus Road” conversion. On this particular day I was feeling depressed over a deeply painful family situation, I then spoke to God insolently and angrily…I will not write those words here. I do recall that afterward I was so filled with remorse that I begged forgiveness and was filled with the realization that my Father in heaven did not acknowledge my outcry as blasphemy but as a cry for His help…in fact, I got the intense feeling that this was in fact a prayer for His help and guidance.

It is then that I earnestly began seeking my relationship with God, and became aware of His Prevenient Grace, and it was through this time when I felt furthest away from God that He was actually bringing me closer. I see Him as a father holding His child to his chest, stroking his head and telling me to get it all out…this is something necessary and that He has a use for all of this.
I believe I was shown Divine Mercy in order to know that nothing good was in me—and in no one apart from God–and to show the longsuffering of Christ, who waits for His own to be brought to Him by the grace of God in faith in the Father’s time. God’s grace covers the sins of the greatest sinner, not in the tiniest amount necessary, not in the smallest effort available, not in just getting the job done, but as an ocean of grace washes over a grain of sin, obliterating it.

Now my feet were just being set upon the path—the journey was still a long way from completion.

I used to think that I responded to my calling like Jonah…God said “go east” and I went west. Now though, I see it more as God revealing to me, “Soon I will ask you to go east, but for now you can go west.” I believe that this was to instill in me not only the experience that God will use through me in my ministry, but to allow a love for all men to take full root within my heart and soul and that I may see God’s glory and love in everything around me.

God wants to heal your wounds and soothe your hurts.

If you are feeling hurt, lost and need to come to a personal face-to-face relationship with God…IF you feel the need to speak with a pastor who has experienced the love and grace of God after being lost and hurt…IF you want to find a congregation that is indeed a family in the Body of Christ…Come to Dundalk United Methodist Church, WHERE WE FEED THE SPIRIT.